Peacekeepers Beware
by Rainbowscape
Summary: The crew of Moya receives a strange request and Crichton is surprised they're actually going to fulfill it.


**DISCLAIMER:** Farscape and all its characters belong to Jim Henson Productions, Hallmark Ent., Nine Network Australia, and the Sci-Fi Channel. This work is an independent fan production for the purpose of free entertainment only.

**NOTE:** _An idea I thought of during the first season before Chiana even came, before I even saw the episode Family Ties, but kept putting off. Writing it now I do so with more detailed background knowledge of all the characters and events encountered which makes it, and hopefully you'll agree, even better._

_Ah, isn't it wonderful when the writers of our favorite shows actually make happen what you were wishing would?  
_

**TIMELINE:** After Season 1, before Season 2 existed.

PEACEKEEPERS BEWARE

By Leah

"Where is it originating from, Pilot?" Zhaan asked. She had been the first one to answer the call. She looked alert as she stood by a console on the command deck, wearing one of her flowing pale blue robes.

The rest of the members of Moya stumbled one by one sleepily onto the command deck.

"We are a picking up a transmission. A distress signal," Pilot repeated for the benefit of all to hear. "From a small planet in the nearby star system. You should be able to see it now."

John rubbed his blue eyes and looked. He couldn't see anything yet.

"A distress signal?" asked Chiana with a shake of her head in disbelief. "Again?" She still remembered their experience with M'Lee.

"Can you show it to us, Pilot?" Aeryn asked, crossing her arms in front of her as she stared out the viewport. Raven black hair hung loose to her shoulders. Her body was tense with foreboding.

"One moment please," responded Pilot. His image was replaced in the clam-shaped holoviewer by a much darker presence.

John's laughter rang out as he recognized the figure. "Of all ships, in all the universe, you had to call up this one."

D'argo scowled at the image that had appeared.

They were staring at the face of Captain Bialar Crais.

* * *

"We should go down to the planet."

John couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "So what are you saying, Aeryn? You want to welcome Crais back with open arms? After what he did to you? To Talyn?"

The Sebacean woman was dressed in black. Her hands were clasped on the table in front of her. A conference had been called and everyone sat discussing the situation. Aeryn swallowed hard. She tried her best to sound reasonable and avoided meeting John's gaze. She opened her hands and said, "I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is we should at least go see for ourselves and...find out what happened."

Chiana laughed, cockily. She rocked in her seat and slapped the table. "Crais had free run of the place last time. He played you all for fools. Why not give him a chance to do it again?"

A growl rumbled in D'argo's chest. The huge Luxan warrior was not pleased. "He is not to be trusted."

Zhaan spoke softly, "I do not believe it is a question of whether or not he can be trusted. Is it, Aeryn?"

Aeryn shook her head. "No," she said, quickly. Her expression was brooding. She raised her dark eyebrows over her dark blue eyes. There was a crease in her brow. "I believe we all know the answer to that." She frowned then spoke hopefully into her comm, "Pilot? Anything yet?"

"No," Pilot's voice answered with a slight delay. "Moya has very anxiously scanned the area and can find no sign of Talyn anywhere."

Aeryn, resting her palms on the table, spoke with conviction now. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm taking my Prowler and finding out what Crais wants."

"You have the time," Pilot's voice reached them. He tried not to sound too curious but he was as anxious to know as Aeryn was. "There are no Peacekeeper ships in the vicinity."

Zhaan's blue face seemed calm and supportive. "The information may prove useful." She looked around the table at the others. John didn't look happy, D'argo's face seemed to have frozen into a scowl, Chiana looked as if she was laughing at everyone, and Rygel's face (whiskers and all) was buried in a plate of food cubes. Zhaan continued serenely, "And we shall be on our guard. Are there any who wish to accompany Aeryn to the surface?"

There was a brief silence then, "I will!" The voices erupted simultaneously from two different corners of the room.

Both John and D'argo had arisen to their feet and volunteered. There wasn't any way they were about to let Aeryn meet their nemesis alone.

Aeryn nodded in acknowledgement. "We leave at once."

At this, the Hynerion lifted his head and began to smooth his whiskers. Rygel cleared his throat. "As long as we don't let him book passage on Moya, what harm can it do?" the Hynerion commented, smacking his lips and seeming to forget that it was he who had let Crais on board the last time. He adjusted his throne sled so that he rose higher in the air to avoid being hit as Chiana swatted at him.

The reunion on the surface of the planet was all that could be expected. The human, the Sebacean, and the Luxan exited the ship looking grim as they stared at the familiar figure that approached them.

"Welcome to my humble abode," the ex-Peacekeeper captain grinned. He stepped towards the landing area with both gloved hands open to display his lack of weapons. His face was unkempt and his standard issue Peacekeeper hair looked rakish. His dark brown eyes seemed to gleam with pleasure at the sight of them. His black and red uniform was dusted by the red powder that coated the planet's surface.

"Keep your distance or I will not hesitate to strike you down," D'argo warned with his Qualta blade ready for the least hostile movement. He moved forward himself and stopped within tongue-striking range.

John licked his bottom lip, dubiously. John had worn the PK jacket and pants for this planetside venture and he stood a little in front of Aeryn. "Whatcha trying to pull, Crais?" he asked. His blue eyes glinted with an intensity of distrust acquired by the life of a fugitive in the Uncharted Territories.

"Crichton," Crais said with an oily smile. "I don't believe you trust me." His tone was mocking. "But I assure you, I'm in no position to do you harm." He actually laughed. "Why would I when I so obviously have asked for your help?" Crais took a step forward.

Aeryn's pulse rifle flew up. D'argo roared behind her but Aeryn raised her voice to still him. "This was my idea. I'll handle it." She met D'argo's eyes. "Let me."

D'argo yielded.

Aeryn gave her former commanding officer a piercing glare. "Answer his question, Crais! And what did you do with Talyn?"

"I merely require your assistance. I have a situation. This planet is unfortunately uninhabited by any beings that would be of worth in fixing my current craft. And as you most surely can tell by the transmission I sent..." He trailed off and smiled as if it was almost too difficult to continue.

Aeryn was unmoved. "And where is Talyn?" she persisted.

Crais looked up towards the sky and folded his hands, resting them on his chin as he explained. "Talyn and I...had a...a misunderstanding."

John rolled his head. "You don't have the slightest idea, do you? The kid dumped you." John laughed. "Way to go, Talyn!"

Crais sputtered. "I wouldn't say that...I-I-I can be of use to you. I can help you get him back." His edges were fraying. His desperation was beginning to show through the cracks.

Aeryn narrowed her eyes and lowered her weapon. "You have food here, Crais? Water?"

John and D'argo both exchanged a worried look. Aeryn couldn't be actually concerned for the one who had caused her exile, could she?

"Yes," Crais raised a gloved hand and ran it across his forehead, blocking the dust that the winds blew from his eyes. "Believe me, Officer Sun, I expect no special consideration or treatment." He was pulling out all the stops now, turning on the charm, nearly groveling at their feet. "I am entirely in your power. You may do to me, what you will."

"Gladly," D'argo said, stepping forward but Aeryn stilled him once more.

Crais continued, eagerly, "As defenseless as I now am on this planet, who knows when another ship will next pass by? It is a fate; I hope you will agree, Officer Sun, not to be wished on any fellow Peacekeeper."

"You forget yourself, Crais. I am not a Peacekeeper any longer. You saw to that."

Crais had evidently anticipated this response and bowed his head as if in regret. "Indeed. All the more reason for me to make amends for my actions. I appeal to you then as a fellow Sebacean. I'll help you locate Talyn or if you like, you may leave me at your next stop."

Aeryn made an impatient motion. "You will not be allowed anywhere near Moya, Crais."

"If you will not take me away from this forsaken rock, at least give leave me the tools to repair my communications device." Crais shook his fist, then dropped it quickly and returned to pleading posture. "I am in total isolation here. I was barely able to transmit the communiqué that reached your ship."

John and D'argo waited. What would Aeryn do?

Her face was impassive. "Show me this device of yours."

John only stared at her. What could she be thinking?

Crais tipped forward in a small bow and led the way.

Near the back of the cave where Crais had parked his craft and other meager belongings, Aeryn sat on a rock and studied the device. "Very ingenious of Crais. He modified an orbital beacon and boosted its signal with the remaining power of his damaged craft."

Agitated, John paced around the cave in a circle. It was lit by torches and the dusty red light of the planet which filtered in through the cave's mouth. Crais was sitting at the cave's mouth under the close surveillance of D'argo.

Crais was grinning widely.

John shook his head and looked at Aeryn. "You're not really gonna go through with this, are you?" he asked. "Aeryn?"

Aeryn's attention was concentrated on the beacon. "If I replace the beacon's power source and put it into orbit around the planet, its message will be broadcast to any ships within three solar days of here."

"Yeah, and how are we gonna do that?" John asked. As disgusted as he was by any project that would actually help Crais, he couldn't help but admire Aeryn's progress in what the normal Peacekeeper would have thought of as tech work. John looked at her. "Aeryn, have you really thought about this?"

Aeryn's eyes flashed with the intensity of blue fire. "I know what I'm doing, Crichton. Now are you going to help me or--"

"Yeah," John crouched down, switched on his flashlight and set it where it would best help Aeryn's progress as she programmed the device. Then, he sighed and began making calculations.

A few arns later, the changes had been made to the orbital beacon with a little advice from Pilot. The 'batteries' of the beacon had been recharged using reserve energy from Aeryn's Prowler and the beacon was now temporarily attached to the underside of the Prowler. Once the Prowler took off and reached the proper distance (calculations provided by Crichton), the beacon would be released to orbit around the planet....broadcasting a repeating message.

"Anyone in this section of space will not be able to avoid knowing you're down here," Aeryn told Crais.

"Your generosity, Officer Sun, is unequaled," Crais bowed.

"I'll say," John mumbled under his breath. He saw Aeryn and D'argo exchange a look and caught the inkling that there was some private joke they shared. He wondered what it could be. But there was no time for further speculation. It was time to go, so he climbed up into the Prowler.

Crais was still talking. "There are no words I can find that can express, Officer Sun, what this--" Crais began.

Aeryn cut off his stream of words before she climbed up into her Prowler where John and D'argo had already disappeared within. She shrugged. "It's like you said, Crais, there are fates I do not wish on any living beings."

The Prowler soared into the sky. The beacon detached and the gravity of the planet caught it. Set in motion, it smoothly began its course around the planet. Floating in its established orbit, it began broadcasting its repeating message out into space.

WARNING: PEACEKEEPERS BEWARE! THIS PLANET HAS BEEN IRREVERSIBLY CONTAMINATED. WARNING: PEACEKEEPERS BEWARE! THIS PLANET HAS BEEN IRREVERSIBLY...


End file.
